


The End Where It Begins

by shot_gun_shuts_his_cakehole



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Character Death, Dean Winchester Has Issues, Domestic Winchesters (Supernatural), Emotionally Hurt Dean Winchester, Emotionally Hurt Sam Winchester, Gen, Happy Ending, How Supernatural (TV) Could End, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt Sam, Hurt Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester Has Mental Health Issues, Then unhappy, tragic ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26529709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shot_gun_shuts_his_cakehole/pseuds/shot_gun_shuts_his_cakehole
Summary: I wrote a fic a couple of years back with my idea of how the show could end, so I heavily edited it to fit the show as it is now in season 15. So this is an end fic. Be prepared for a happy ending that of course gets ripped away because it's supernatural.-----A few years after the battle that saw the Winchester's defeat God, the brother's lives have taken an unexpected turn as they live an unplanned apple pie life with their kids. Finally, the brother's have found happiness in their simple and safe life. It's a happy ending for the brother's, Cas, Jack, Eileen and the new Winchester clan... until it isn't. Because after all, when did the Winchesters ever get a happy ending.*Warning for major character death
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy & Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Jack Kline & Sam Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	The End Where It Begins

The impala roared down the highway. Despite the many hits she'd taken and the multiple time's Dean had needed to restore her, baby was reliable as always. Dean hummed along softly to the sound of Led Zeppelin that was playing quietly in the car. Low enough, as not to wake the sleeping child in the back seat.

Years ago, Sam had made a point of saying that the impala may not have been the most suitable car for a child, but Dean would never trust a car to keep his kid safe, more than he did the impala.

6 years ago, Dean had become a father. It was completely unexpected. A one night stand with a girl he'd met in a diner. Andrea. She was waitressing to help get herself through school. Turning her life around after what she described as a lifetime full of bad choices. She was training to be a nurse. She was smart and funny and had a messed up sense of humour. Dean had been instantly attracted. He hadn't expected anything to come from it though, but she'd been fun and he'd given her one of his non hunting phone numbers just in case she wanted some fun again somewhere along the line. She'd called 5 months later to tell him she was pregnant with his kid. Who'd have known that condom's weren't 100% effective. Of course, Sam had kindly informed him that everyone knew they weren't 100% reliable which received a snarky comment from Dean. Despite the unexpected nature of the news, Dean was ready to step up. He was not a man who ran from his responsibility's and once the baby had come, Dean had instantly fallen in love with his son. They'd named him Bobby, after the man who'd been more of a father to Dean than his biological one.

At first, Dean and Andrea had shared custody of their son. Dean continued to hunt when Bobby was with his mom, but he made sure that part of his life got no where near his son. Things changed when Bobby was about 3 months old. Andrea had not been coping well with motherhood and despite not really knowing the woman that well, she was the mother of his child, so Dean had tried to help, but it hadn't been enough. Andrea had dropped Bobby off to Dean and took off. Dean didn't hear from her again and he was left to raise Bobby alone.

Being the sole parent of his son, Dean had quit hunting. He started to understand more why Mary had been so upset to discover that he and Sam had grown up in that life because he hated the thought of Bobby being raised as he and Sam were. Dean had expected it to be hard to quit, but it had been easier than he'd thought. Bobby was enough and if getting some crappy job and living in a boring town was what needed to be done to keep his son safe, he was more than happy to do it.

Dean had half expected Sam to quit hunting when he had too. Finally settle down. After finally defeated God himself and saving the world  again , Sam had finally let Eileen in and started a relationship with her. They'd been together for a while, but never quit the job or settled down. Dean had gotten a place for him and Bobby not too far from the bunker and Sam, Eileen, Jack and Cas continued to live in the bunker. Sam, Cas and Jack would visit on a frequent basis between hunts, so Dean didn't have to worry about growing distant to his family. Sam adored Bobby and Bobby adored his uncle. 

Dean sometime's missed being on the road and hunting with Sam, but having a kid had fulfilled Dean more than he ever knew it could.

He'd watched Sam on his frequent visit's. Dean could see that Sam wasn't happy. Could see that Sam's heart just wasn't in that life anymore, especially with Dean bowing out. Sam had wanted out of this life in the past, but he'd grew to accept and like the life he and Dean had. When Dean quit, it wasn't the same anymore. Dean had subtly tried to nudge Sam to do something different. Something that would make him and Eileen happy, but Sam was hesitant to leave what he knew. Dean got it. They'd both tried to live an apple pie life several time's in the past and it had never worked out well for either of them. It took a lot for Sam to even consider starting something with Eileen, so Dean hadn't expected Sam to dare to hope for something more. 

However, when Sam and Eileen arrived to visit Dean and Bobby, on Bobby's 2nd birthday, he'd seemed different. Happier. Excited. Sam had told Dean that he and Eileen had decided to travel together. See more of the world and all of that stuff. Both Eileen and Sam had once wanted the normal college experience and for many that might backpacking to see the world. It had never been on the cards for them, but they'd decided to do it together. Eileen had the idea and Sam finally agreed. The idea of it made him feel like a five year old on Christmas morning. Dean was pleased, happy to see his brother light up about something.

They were gone for ten months, but he kept in touch with Dean. Sam and Eileen's intentions had been to see the world, but they ended up running into hunts all around the globe. They came across and gathered information on creature's no one had ever seemed to encounter in the US. Dean mostly liked the way his geeky little brother lit up when he told Dean about the different places he'd seen. Over the last couple of months before Sam came home though, Dean felt like there was something Sam was holding back. Until one day, Sam and Eileen turned up on Dean's doorstep with a surprise in tow.

Sam and Eileen had visited Haiti and volunteered with an organization that built house's for families in need. Whilst there, they'd came across a three month old baby girl called Roseline. She was an orphan, both parent's had died and the little girl had been alone. Sam being Sam, had fallen for the little girl. Eileen too. Surprisingly, it had been Sam who'd first approached the idea of adopting, much to Eileen's surprise, but she too, had connected with the child. The last few months of their trip, they'd spent fighting for the little girl. Eventually, they adopted her. Sam had connected with the child in a way that he didn't expect, but Dean understood because he was a Dad. He knew that the moment Sam had seen Rosy and fought for her, he'd became a parent.

When Sam and Eileen showed up on Dean's doorstep with a baby in tow, Dean had been surprised to say the least. Dean and Sam had never planned on having kids. Bobby had been an unexpected, but completely amazing, surprise, but Sam had willingly opted into parenthood and Dean was bewildered. Watching Sam with Rosy, Dean came to realize that Sam didn't choose to be her dad anymore than Dean had chosen to be Bobby's. It was just meant to be.

Dean was happy for Sam. He'd never seen him so content. Sam and Eileen had also quit hunting after that. They'd found a house on the same street as Dean and passed the keys onto Cas and Jack. Both Cas and Jack stayed at Dean's a lot, but when they weren't there, they stayed at the bunker. Cas was a heavy presence in Sam and Dean's lives and their children's. He'd become known as 'uncle Cas' to the kids. Jack had also been like their surrogate son and had fallen into a big brother type role to Sam and Dean's kids. Dean mused that their kids really did have angels watching over them. 

Sam and Dean didn't completely cut of tie's with their old life. If they spotted something that looked supernatural, they'd phone up a contact to take care of it. They'd sometimes help other hunter's out too, answering phone call's from the authorities who wanted to check that they were really feds, or offering advice or information to hunter's if they had it. They kept their kid's far away from that stuff though and kept their new life and situation under wraps. Never letting the two world's collide and avoiding actual hunting at all costs. They were careful, subtly warding the house behind the wallpaper, drawing devil's traps under rugs and hiding salt line's on window's and doors. Since they'd left their old live's behind though, trouble hadn't come looking for them the way it used to it. Mostly, they felt safe and happy. Something that never used to seem like a possibility. It wasn't lost of Sam or Dean, how surreal their life seemed. They'd never have imagined their life turning out the way it had. They expected to die hunting at a relatively young age. They'd never expected to extend their family. But it was a nice unexpected.

Their dynamic's changed a little when Bobby was four and Rosy was two. Eileen had become pregnant. They were both so happy. They brought furniture and paint for a nursery, Sam roping Dean in to help him paint it. The brother's having a beer and joking around as they painted the room. Dean couldn't help but notice how happy Sam had seemed. Whilst Eileen was pregnant, Sam and Eileen had decided to get married. Nothing big, they just tied the knot at city hall with Dean, Cas and Jack supporting them. 

Then, six months ago, Sam's son had come along. They'd named him Charlie, after their bad ass surrogate little sister.

Dean loved being a dad. He loved taking the kids to playgrounds and jungle gyms with Sam and Eileen. He loved going for picnics in the summer and watching Bobby and Rosy chase each other around the grass. He even loved the job he'd picked up at the auto repair shop. Sam worked just 10 minutes away as the manager in some old bookstore that Sam loved because they stocked really old obscure books, and they'd often meet up on their lunch hours and go to the diner. Compare it to their old lives hunting and it might sound boring, but the brothers were content. 

Dean was so happy to see the life Sam now led. Dean knew this was what Sam had always wanted way back when they were practically just kids and Dean was so glad he'd finally got it. He was also damn proud of the kid. He was a great partner to Eileen and an even better dad to Rosy and Charlie. People had always compared Sam to John, but seeing the father Sam was, Dean knew that those people could not have been more wrong. Sam had always been good at whatever he threw himself into, but he was the best damn father Rosy and Charlie could ask for. Dean could tell Sam was happy. He loved Eileen completely. Sam had been in several relationships in the past, but it never seemed the same after Jess died. Dean hadn't been apart of his brother's life when he and Jess had been together, but he'd seen the love Sam had for her and the pain he felt at her loss. Even though Sam may have loved other women since, Dean noticed that it was never in the same way. Dean didn't think Sam would ever open up again, and it may have taken him a while to fully let his guard down, but he'd finally opened himself up for Eileen. Let himselffall completely again. That's not to say Sam didn't have his issues still. They both did. You couldn't go through as much as Sam and Dean had and not have issues. Dean knew his brother still had nightmares. He noticed the when Sam would look of into space or clutch the hand he'd used as an anchor to reality all those years ago. Dean would also sometimes catch a fleeting look of fear in Sam's eyes. Fear that he'd lose his little family. Dean had always tried to show him in his own subtle way that they wouldn't let that happen. Overall though, despite their issues, Sam was happy and comfortable. Just as Dean was. Back before half of the bad crap had gone down, Sam used to have a sparkle. His eye's would light up and those dimples would come out and the chick's would swoon. Middle aged women would want to mother him and Dean would end up relenting to whatever Sam wanted when those puppy dog eye's made an appearance. But over the years, as Sam lost more, suffered more and became more broken, he'd lost that. His smile never quite met his eye's, he had a constant look of tiredness and he always looked sort of...done. When Sam's kids came along, Dean slowly began to to see some of the old Sam, he hadn't realized he'd lost, come back to him. His kid brother lit up whenever he swung Roseline around or she looked at him like he was a superhero. He seemed so peaceful when he rocked Charlie to sleep or managed to get a lopsided smile out of the baby. It was great. Dean had realized that Bobby had changed him too. He'd become less jaded and his own eye's lost some of the dullness they'd come to have over the years. He and Sam were both happy.

Now, Bobby was 6 years old. His sandy hair stood up at odd angle's and freckle's scattered his cheeks. He was a ball of energy. Dean was constantly on his toes with his kid. Bobby was a handful for sure, mischievous and cheeky, but Dean wouldn't have it any other way. He looked through the rear view mirror to check that Bobby was still sleeping. Luckily for Dean, he was or else the drive back from going to pick up a gift for Roseline's birthday wouldn't have gone quite so well.

Rosy was now 4, but was smart beyond her years. Sam had obviously rubbed off on her. She loved Sam reading to her and despite being such a young kid, she was smarter than most kids twice her age. She was a sweet kid. Polite and cheerful. Sam and Eileen had done good. Despite their differing personalities, Bobby and Rosy got a long amazingly. They were close and often partner's in crime. Charlie was now a six month old baby. He looked so much like Sam as a kid. Big hazel eye's and a smile that could already wrap anyone around his finger.

For Roseline's birthday, all of the family were getting together at Sam's to celebrate. Jack and Cas were already there. Dean had taken a trip to town to buy Rosy a book she'd been chattering on about for weeks now, for her birthday gift. Eileen and Sam had pitched in and made Rosy a cake and all of their little family were going to celebrate the little girl's birthday. Roseline had a tough start in life, losing her parents and being an orphaned baby. Sam and Eileen had given her a family but Rosy had given the same thing to Sam too.

Dean pulled up the impala outside of Sam's house. Picking Bobby up, Dean walked up to the door as Bobby began to stir. The kid went from 0 to 60 in no time at all. He'd go straight from sleeping to running around shouting without having to take a moment to collect himself. So Bobby was wriggling away from his father, already determined to be independent and impatiently knocking on the door.

Sam opened it and had to skirt out of the way as Bobby charged past Sam to find his cousin.

"Hey Bobby", grinned Sam as he called the greeting to his energetic nephew.

"He's looking forward to cake", laughed Dean.

"Take's after his dad then", smirked Sam as he and Dean joined the other's.

"How many times do I have to say it, Sammy? I'm a pie man. Pie and cake? Not the same thing!" Argued Dean lightheartedly.

"Oh so you won't be wanting any cake then?", teased Sam.

"Now, don't go twisting my words", smiled Dean.

Rosy and Bobby sat on the rug in Sam's living room, rummaging through toys. Jack joined the kids and played along with their games. Cas was sitting on the sofa, looking perplexed at one of Rosy's toys as if it was the most complicated thing he'd ever seen and Eileen was bouncing Charlie on her hip as she prepared the table.

"Hey guy's", greeted Dean.

Sam passed a beer to Dean who accepted. He could walk back home afterwards, he lived just round the corner.

Dean went to swipe a finger in the icing of the cake, but was smacked away by Eileen who wore a warning scowl. Eileen finished up the icing and called everyone to the table.

Sam and Dean were already sitting at the second hand oak table. Jack went to help with the food and Cas sat next to Dean.

"I fail to understand what children find so entertaining about some of the toys that human's make for them", frowned Cas.

"We'll that's 'cause you're not a kid, dude. You're not supposed to find them interesting. Just have a beer and stuff your face with food", chuckled Dean.

Sam checked on the kids. Bobby and Rosy had their own kid sized table to sit at together. Bobby was banging his small fist on the kid sized table, desperate for food. Definitely Dean's kid , thought Sam with a grin.

After dinner, they'd put the kids to bed. Dean had decided to crash at Sam's and had put Bobby down in the spare bed in Rosy's room. The adults sat around in the living room, laughing at old stories and some newer one's. It was a normalcy that Dean was used to by now. A regular occurrence with their new family dynamic. It was the small stuff that normal people took for granted, but that the Winchester's treasured no matter how regularly it happened.

Dean looked at his brother. He was a dad now, but Sam would never stop being his kid. He watched his brother laugh at something Cas had said which Dean would bet, Cas hadn't actually meant to be funny. He watched as his Jack interacted with Eileen so effortlessly. He grinned back at something Sam was saying to him. He wasn't sure what Sam was even saying, he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts, but the smile had been genuine.

Dean felt truly happy. Like in that moment, nothing bad could ever happen. They were okay. For the first time, in probably ever, they were okay. They were happy. They had a life that didn't hold the risk of being killed at every bend. Hunting had been hard and Dean had always took solace in the fact that they made a difference. They helped people. They saved the world. Not many people could actually say that and despite all of the pain their lives had brought, Dean couldn't imagine it any other way. He thought a life without being the guys who saved the world would be meaningless. He had been wrong. He and Sam were your average Joe's these days. They got up in the morning, had breakfast with their kids, took them to school and went to work. The daily routine. They weren't saving anyone. They weren't important to the world anymore. But to each other and their kids, they meant everything. The little world they had built for themselves meant something to them and that meant more than saving the planet ever had.

Eventually, they decided to hit the sack. Sam had a pull out sofa which he set up for Jack, Cas didn't sleep and Dean set up an air mattress in the kids room for himself.

Before they put their heads down, Dean pulled Sam into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, man", told Dean to a surprised Sam. Sam hadn't been expecting the sudden embrace from Dean, but he soften into it and hugged his big brother back. His stone number one.

"Thanks Dean. I'm proud of you too, you're an amazing dad, but then again, you did raise me so I never doubted it for a second", smiled Sam.

Dean looked emotional, he blamed the couple of beers he'd had.

"I wished mom was still here to see this. To meet her grandkids. This is what she always wanted", admitted Dean, "I sometimes wonder what Dad would have thought too".

"I wish mom was here too and as fair as Dad goes, I think he'd have been proud deep down too...not that he'd ever have been able to say it to us of course", grinned Sam.

"True, but whether or not, I'm proud of us Sammy", nodded Dean.

"You know, since you've been a dad, your chick flick rule has gone straight out the window", grinned Sam.

"Shut up, Bitch!", laughed Dean quietly.

"Jerk", laughed Sam.

They parted and went to bed, happy with the lives they had.

* * *

Dean woke in the middle of the night. He'd been woken by Charlie's crying. He wasn't too far from his baby nephew's room so he heard it loud and clear. He decided to get up and soothe his nephew. He definitely didn't want Charlie waking up Rosy and Bobby because then whole house would be woken up.

Dean tiredly sauntered to Charlie's room, yawning widely. He walked into the room and to the baby's crib.

"Hey little guy, what's up huh?", cooed Dean.

Charlie didn't look at Dean, he continued to cry and Dean frowned. Charlie wasn't a kid that cried a lot and when he did it was usually easy to pacify him. Tonight was different. Something had upset the kid.

As Dean whispered soothing words to his nephew, a dark droplet of liquid dripped on the baby's forehead.

Dean felt his heart drop. He couldn't breathe for a second.

It was just a rusty water from leaky roof, Dean told himself, but his gut didn't believe it. 

Another crimson droplet fell onto Charlie's head and Dean wiped it with his finger.

Blood.

Dean could have swore time slowed around him. No, this was not happening. It was a bad dream. But deep down, Dean knew what was happening. He knew how this story went. He knew in his heart what he'd find if he looked up at ceiling. He didn't want to look up and make this real. He didn't want to see Eileen burning in her sons nursery, but deep down, he knew that's what was going to happen. Dean knew Sam would never recover from it. Not after Jess. Not after everything he'd lost in his life. It was worse now. Sam had kids. Eileen was the mother of those kids.

He didn't want to look up, but he knew he needed too. He didn't want to be the one to witness this and then have to break the news to his heartbroken brother, but it was a choice between Dean finding her or someone else in their family finding the horrific scene and Dean couldn't let that happen. A rock had settled in his stomach and he felt frozen in fear. With his heart hammering in his chest, he glanced at the ceiling.

_ And Dean's whole world fell apart. _

He left out a sharp gasp and bent over as he saw Sammy on the ceiling. _Sammy_. His little brother, who lay spread across the ceiling of his child's nursery. A wide cut on his abdomen, bleeding through his white t shirt.

"No!", screamed Dean, "no, no, no, No!".

This shouldn't, couldn't be happening.

But it was and there was his baby brother staring down at him with a horrified expression on his face. Dean knew that expression. Sam was scared and he was looking at his big brother for help. His big brother who he'd once thought was a superhero. Who he thought could fix anything. Dean wished that was true. He wished with everything he had that it was true. He wished he could fix this, but nothing could. Sam's look was pleading at Dean to help him. Dean realized that this time though, Sam wasn't looking for Dean to save him. He was looking at Dean to save his kids. His family.

So despite feeling like his heart had been ripped clear from his chest, he knew he couldn't let his brother down. _Not again_.

He grabbed a crying Charlie from the crib just as Jack and Eileen arrived at the door. Dean faintly recognized that Jack was crying, staring up at Sam and Eileen was crouched on the floor, hands clenched to her stomach, screaming, choking back sobs.

Dean passed Charlie to Jack, noticing Rosy and Bobby just down the hall. They could not see this. This wasn't going to happen again. These kids would not be a repeat of Sam and Dean. _They couldn't see this._ Dean would be damned if he was going to let history repeat itself more than it already had. 

As Jack took hold of Charlie, he looked at Dean blankly, looking to Dean for answers 

"Jack, I know this hurts. It's like nothing you've ever felt before, but Sammy needs us to help him. He needs us too keep his family safe, so take Charlie. Get out of the house, get everyone out of the house. Take Eileen", told Dean as tears made an appearance down his face.

Jack nodded and tried to drag Eileen from the floor, but she was frozen to the spot. 

"Eileen", started Dean, holding Eileen's face in his hands to redirect her vision away from her husband.

"I know you want to fall apart. I know it feels like that's all you can do, but you have to be strong for your kids, okay? And for Sam. He would have come in here when he heard Charlie. He came to comfort him. He will have tried to save him, but Sam can't do that now, so _you_ have too. You can't fall apart right now. You need to go outside with the kids and Jack. I promise I'll do everything I can for Sam, but you need to leave. Sam wouldn't want you to see this", signed Dean quickly. 

"Okay, okay, I can do that...Dean, please, try to save him", begged Eileen.

"I'll save him, I have too", choked Dean. Eileen nodded, she wiped her tears and caught up with Jack as they left. Dean could hear Eileen telling the kids that everything would be all right and ushered everyone in the house, outside.

Dean knew this story, knew what happened next. He needed to save his brother before the place burnt. Before there wasn't enough of Sam left to save. 

Dean dragged a table to the middle of the room, swiping off a load of Charlie's stuff. He climbed on it and it was high enough to just about reach his brother.

He grabbed Sam's hand, yanking with all of the strength he had and more. Dean tried to wrap his hands around Sam's core, desperate to pull him down, but Sam wasn't budging, but the scarlet patch on Sam's shirt grew wider as blood dripped heavily from Sam's stomach. Sam's face was still in that frozen state of panic. Unmoving and still.

"Sammy? C'mon Sammy, I need to get you out of here", sobbed Dean as he pulled at Sam's hand. Sam mostly remained in that same, awful frozen state, but Dean noticed his mouth twitching. Even now, even through this, Sam was still fighting and that thought made Dean's heart swell with pride and pain. 

"De...an..", choked out Sam's strangled voice, red liquid seeping from his lips. Dean placed his shaking hand on his brother's cheek. The fleeting moment of coherence from Sam passed and his eye's glazed over once again. 

The part Dean knew was coming next begun as a fire spread across the ceiling, engulfing Sam, far too quickly for Dean to do anything about it. Dean could see Sam as the flames enveloped him. Fire licked Dean's hand and arm as he refused to let go of his baby brother's hand.

"It's okay, Sammy. I'm never gonna leave you, okay? You're my pain in my ass little brother, right? You're gonna be fine", sobbed Dean desperately.

The fire grew as it begun to take over more of the nursery, but Dean was frozen to the spot. Distantly, Dean heard a keening sound. Something akin to the cry of dying baby animal. In a moment of fear, Dean thought the kids were still inside, and then he realised the tortured sound was escaping his own throat. The fire continued to burn furiously, but Dean couldn't leave his baby brother, but he didn't want to die either. He needed to be their for Bobby and for Sam's kids and Eileen. He knew this would kill Cas and Jack too. God, what would this do to Jack? _What would this do to Dean?_ Dean knew he needed to survive, despite the part of him that wanted to give up. He couldn't leave Bobby without a dad, but he couldn't let his brother die either. Sam was his kid too, but deep down, Dean knew that Sam was gone. 

Dean screamed Sam's name, begging for him to wake up and to have all of this been a horrible nightmare. But the fire grew and Dean felt firm hands dragging him from the fire. Cas.

"No, Cas, I need to save him. I can't leave Sam", cried Dean.

"Dean, it's too late, I'm sorry. Sam's my brother too, but you don't need to die with him.You know he wouldn't want this. You're family needs you, Sam needs you to be there for his family. I'm sorry Dean", said Cas as tears threatened to make an appearance in Cas's eye's too as he watched his dear friend die in his own home. As he watched another dear friend desperately try to save his brother. Dean's throat was filled with smoke and he barked out coughs. He knew Cas was right.

He looked at Cas, the only brother he had left now. 

"I can't, Cas. I just...I can't be the one to leave him", admitted Dean quietly.

"You don't have to. Let me be the one, Dean. Let me take that burden from you".

Dean nodded and hesitantly made his way out of the burning nursery. 

"Goodnight Sammy", whispered Dean. Before he could change his mind, he ran into to hallway. 

Cas turned to look at Sam's body which was so concealed by fire that he was barely recognisable as Sam anymore. Cas knew he had minutes to get Dean out of here, but all of a sudden, Cas was struggling to leave too. 

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to stop this Sam, to save you, but I promise I'll look after them", vowed Cas before leaving the room that held the burning body of a man he knew to be his brother. Cas ran to the hallway where Dean was bent over. The fire was spreading but still, the air in the hallway was significantly cleaner and Dean heaved in breaths. 

Cas hauled Dean out of the house and gripped him tightly, just liked he gripped him tightly and saved him from a fiery fate all those years ago. Cas held tightly to Dean, hoping that he could quite literally hold him together somehow. Shield him from more pain. Eventually, Cas and Dean were sitting on a grassy bank with the kids, Eileen and Jack, watching Sam's family home burn down with Sam in it. After a few minutes, an explosion from the window of Charlie's nursery blew out the windows. A crowd of neighbour's had gathered, gawking like it was some kind of show. Dean wanted to be angry, but couldn't quite conjure the emotion. Jack stood with an arm around Eileen, who was distraught, but trying to comfort the kids.

Dean felt salty tears escape his eye's, creating clear tracks on his smoky face.

Dean sucked in a large gasp as he let the emotion out. Not Sam, not like this.

Cas placed a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder and Dean glanced at Charlie who looked so much like Sam that it physically hurt his heart. His mind involuntarily flashed back to Sam at that age. Being carried out of a burning building by tiny hands that were almost to small to grip him. Dean hated himself for not being able to carry him out of this fire too. 

Wiping his face of tears he gathered Rosy and Bobby into his arms. The kids were crying, asking where their Daddy and uncle Sam was. Dean had to to tell them that Sam was gone and the words caught in his throat, choking him. Eileen looked to him as he broke the news they all wanted to not be true, to the kids. 

His son and niece cried in his arms, not old enough to fully understand what had happened, but aware enough to understand that they'd all lost someone irreplaceable. Dean clung to them. Dean couldn't save Sammy, but he would protect these kids. He would help Eileen rebuild their lives. He would make sure no harm came to any of them. He'd do it not only because he needed them if he was going to survive this. Survive losing Sam, but he would also do it for Sam.

Dean sat on the grass, staring as his brother's home went up in flames, taking Sam with it.

"I've got you, it's going to be okay".

* * *

Dean held Eileen's hand as she took Rosy to visit Sam's head stone. They'd decided not to go for a hunters funeral. They buried what little was left of Sam, couldn't bring themselves to burn him given the nature of his death. Plus, Charlie wouldn't even remember Sam and Rosy was still so young, they should be able to have a place to visit where they could feel close to Sam. Dean clenched his jaw and closed his eyes tightly as Rosy lay down flowers on Sam's grave, tears streaming down the little girls face. He hated that Rosy and Charlie would never really know their dad. He hated that Sam never got to see them grow up. Eileen guided her children away from their fathers grave. Eileen was broken. They all were. But she was also one of the strongest people Dean had met, so she pushed forward, for the sake of Roseline and Charlie.

"I just need five minutes alone, okay?", smiled Dean sadly. 

"We'll wait in the car", signed Eileen. 

Dean knelt by his brothers head stone and traced the name on the stone with his fingers. 

"This isn't how it was supposed to be, Sammy", choked Dean. 

Dean reached into his pocket and found his amulet, "At first, I thought about leaving this with you, but then I thought maybe I could give it to Rosy. Like she always has a piece of you with her? I think you'd have liked that. Eileen misses you, but she's strong. She's having to be strong for Rosy and Charlie. We all are. Cas is trying to look after all of us, but I can see how much he's hurting too. And Jack, you know how much that kid loves you. He's already been through a lot, but I think this has hit him worse than anything else ever has. Cas is worried he's not dealing, but I think he's dealing by throwing himself into this big brother role to the kids. I think it probably makes him feel closer to you", told Dean, voice thick.

"And Bobby...well Bobby's my kid for sure. He misses you, but he shows it by being angry. I had a call from his school teacher last week because he punched some kid. He's so angry that you're gone and I wanna be a good example and show him how to deal with this in a healthy way, but I'm so angry too. The kicker is that the person we all need to show us how to get through this is the person we've all lost", choked Dean as his voice broke, "Charlie is just a baby, but I swear he knows something is really really wrong. He cries a lot these day's, I think he misses your voice. Roseline is young, but she's old enough to know that you're gone and that we're all sad, but I think she's finding hard to understand why. To understand why you've been taken from us. We're all finding it hard to understand why. And Rosy, well she's being the best big sister. Sometimes none of us can sooth Charlie, but she does. Eileen and I are cautiousnot to let her take on took much though. We don't want her to grow up too quickly. History as already repeated itself too much, I won't let our kids become us, Sam, I promise", vowed Dean.

"I promise I won't turn into dad, Sammy. I won't let this grief take over and destroy the kids lives. I won't put revenge before the kids", promised Dean. 

He wouldn't let Eileen be consumed by that dark need for payback either. He knew he needed to look into this if only to ensure nothing would come after the rest of them, but he wouldn't let it take over. He wouldn't let it drag them back into that life. He knew this would change them all forever and that Bobby, Rosy and Charlie had already experienced more pain than they should have, but he wouldn't let it get any worse. He promised himself and Sam that he'd take care of what was left of their family.

"I'm sorry, Sammy. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from this. I'm sorry you had to die like that", tears were falling freely down Dean's face, "I couldn't protect you, but I promise that I'll protect Rosy, Charlie and Eileen, I promise you Sammy! I'm going to look after them. I'm going to make you proud. So you get to rest now, little brother, you've earned it. You've earned about ten lifetimes worth of rest. You don't have to worry about us down here because we're going to be okay. We all miss you so much, but we're going to be okay. You can rest easy now, Sammy".

Dean rest a hand on Sam's grave and began to hum softly.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her into your heart. Then you can start to make it better", sang Dean through a voice thick with emotion.

_ In the distance, an unimpressive looking man watched on at the scene. The Winchester's thought they'd beat him, but he was God after all. He'd never gone anywhere. He couldn't leave this story without the perfect ending and Chuck had to hand it to himself, this was the most beautifully tragic ending. It had to end this way. It had to end where it began. Chuck walked away from the grave yard, a satisfied smile on his face.  _

Dean stood up from Sam's grave as he hummed their version of a lullaby.

"And anytime you feel the pain

Hey Jude, refrain

Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

For well you know that it's a fool

Who plays it cool

By making his world a little colder

Hey Jude, don't let me down

You have found her, now go and get her, let it out and let it in

Remember to let her into your heart, hey Jude

Then you can start to make it better...", finished Dean through tears.

"Goodnight Sammy".


End file.
